Ask Us Anything Answers

Food Questions

How do you handle snack attacks? What is your GO TO comfort when you need to satisfy a craving but keep the cals low?

Snack Attacks: I recently posted about this, so check out these suggestions. As for me, I’ve found that planning out what I am going to have for dinner during the week helps a lot. Knowing that I have a good wholesome dinner planned makes me happy and less antsy about being a little hungry. Also, I’ve learned that combating night time snacking requires that I not head into dinner famished, this requires planning a snack sometime before dinner/after the gym or planning one for after dinner. Another thing I’ve learned is that I have terrible willpower at times and therefore, it’s better not to have certain things in my house. Mark loves snacks, so I will often buy chips in a flavor I don’t really like or a sugary cereal I am not crazy about.  I read this in a magazine once, but if you don’t buy it, its won’t be in your house – you only have to say no once (at the market) instead of every time you want the snack at your house.

Low Cal/Comfort Foods: Soups! Lentil, minestrone and hearty vegetable soups are delicious and healthy.

Are you 100% vegan and if so do you find it hard to find foods that meet all nutritional requirements and do you suffer from ahem bloating?

I am not a vegan. I use cow’s milk in my morning coffee most of the time and I eat yogurt and ice cream. I do not worry that I meet all of my nutritional requirements. because I think I eat enough of a variety to get everything I need. I recently had a ton of blood work done to check various levels of important things in my body. The only thing that I was low on was Vitamin D.

Re: bloating. Yes, I’ve noticed that when I eat too much fiber in the form of beans or vegetables like broccoli I do bloat. I’ve tried to eat less beans (a few weeks ago I realized the problem when I ate beans at pretty much every meal) and drink more water.

I got a few variations of this: How much a month do you spend on food, and how often do you go grocery shopping?

Excellent question and quite timely as well. Last year Mark and I did a Budget Challenge to see how much we spent on groceries to limit spending. Here is where we ended up on that:

• Week 1 Total: … $131 (first week in empty apartment)
• Week 2 Total: … $99.25
• Week 3 Total: … $58.86
• Week 4 Total: … $73.18

Currently, Mark and I go to the market together about once a month. This is when we get non-perishable things like cereal, Almond Milk, etc. We spend about $150 during that trip. Once a week or so I go alone to get fruit and vegetables and other fresh things I need for cooking that week. I usually spend about $25 – $60.

Now I hang my head in shame. My gym is conveniently located seconds from a Whole Foods. Let’s just say they are familiar with me there. This question was quite the reality check because I just realized that I often go to WF every other day and get $10 - $25 worth of stuff I’ve deemed “necessities.” Considering that one of my Action Plan goals for the year was to save money I think I need to stop that right now! One trip to WF per week only!

I noticed that you’ve been complaining that you gained weight and yet you seem completely unwilling to do anything about it. I realize that sounds mean, but someone trying to lose weight can’t really eat pizza, cookies, cake, and peanut butter.

I got this one awhile ago, but didn’t know what to say. Now I do.

First, I disagree that someone trying to lose weight can’t eat those things, or anything for that matter, if he/she is eating the correct amount I say nothing is off limits. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Second, I don’t eat cookies and cake everyday. But perhaps I could lay off the peanut and bread a little bit.

Third, I guess you, anonymous person, are correct. I am unwilling to do anything to lose weight, meaning I will not deprive myself, I will not diet, I will not really focus on it. But what I will do and have tried to do in January and February is eat a little less, eat when I am hungry, and identidy why I am eating for reasons other than hunger. It’s really all I am willing to do right now. Now perhaps you are right, if I were more diligent, perhaps I could lose that weight with more ease, but I haven’t felt the need yet.

I struggle with the decision to buy organic sometimes when it comes to something that I really love (like Edy’s frozen yogurt). I know the importance of organic for both my health and the planet. Do you guys always buy organic or do you think that is it OK to still buy some non-organic items just because you don’t want to give them up?

I always buy organic dairy and eggs because that’s really important to me and I am willing to pay the extra money for those things. There are times, however, that I will get a non-organic ice cream treat because that’s just life. I have yogurt and milk every day, whereas ice cream is an occasional treat, so I am willing to go conventional there. I also try to get mostly organic fruits and vegetables, especially those like peaches, grapes and lettuce that are considered to be the dirtiest, but I don’t stress if I can’t – those things are expensive and I make decisions on a case by case basis.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pizza of various flavors and varieties.  – Mark

Are you and Mark vegetarians?

I am a vegetarian. I do not eat any chicken, meat, or fish. In August 2008 we started this blog with a 30-day Meatless Month. I’ve eaten meat 3 or 4 times since then. I used to be hesitant to call myself a vegetarian because (1) I didn’t want to eat meat and “fail;” and (2) I didn’t want to have to explain myself.  Now I am comfortable with the label and I actually love explaining myself. Also, I don’t think in terms of absolutes, so I don’t view eating something I want and enjoy as a failure anymore.

Mark is a … hmmm … quasitarian I guess. In the house, he does not eat meat because I normally do not cook it. He will voluntarily go days without eating meat and order vegetarian things out. I have no problem with him cooking meat, but he usually does not. He loves sushi and will eat chicken and meat when offered these items.

Heather, do you have any suggestions or ideas for how I could get my boyfriend to eat a little healthier?

In a lot of ways I am really lucky because Mark is interested in healthy eating and has a wonderful balanced mindset about food.  I haven’t had to do much to “get” Mark to eat the way he does, but I would say cooking really delicious healthy meals and stocking the house with good, nutritious snacks is key.

3 part question

what is your very favorite food?

M: pizza

H: bananas, ice cream/frozen yogurt, yogurt w/ granola

what is your very least favorite food?

M: n/a

H: olives

what is you naughty food indulgence of choice?

M: potato chips

H: crusty bread, doughy bread, banana bread, bread in all forms.

Fitness/Training/Weight Questions

Are you going to run a marathon?

I would love to run a marathon, to be a marathoner, but I don’t think it’s in the cards for me right now. I am not sure the rigorous training schedule is something my body needs right now and I would not want to do those long training runs alone . I am thinking of doing a third half marathon in the spring thought!

how tall are you and how much do you weigh?

I am 5′9.5″ and weigh about 165 – 170 pounds. – Mark

I am 5′2″ and weigh an appropriate/healthy amount for that height. The weight I am trying to lose is not a necessity, but rather it is so I can fit in my clothes again. – Heather

How much weight did you gain from the medication? I think you look great.

Well, I don’t own a scale, but I was weighed at the doctor in early October and again at the end of the December and there was a 13 pound difference. In that span of time I also broke my foot, and that probably contributed to the gain and my negative attitude about it. Thank you for the compliment, but I do not feel that great about it right now and am happy to be off that medicine and have a functioning foot!

Do you know about how many calories you eat a day?  Not asking to be  nosy, but you eat healthy and I was just wondering.

I’ve never officially counted them up and recently decided that I would not count calories while trying to lose weight, but I would say it’s probably between 1,200 and 1,800 a day depending on my current activity level. For example, when I am in half marathon preparation mode and running longer runs (8+ miles) I definitely eat more than when I am not as active.

Do you count calories?

I think counting calories is important and necessary for some people, but it’s not for me. I aim to listen to myself and eat what I want/need in quantities that are appropriate and satisfying. My preference is to listen to myself and eat because I am hungry (or just want that cookie that looks good) than eat because I have to eat more calories or not eat because I used all my calories. I just have a looser approach to it I guess. It’s really hard right now actually because I am trying to lose weight, but I just can’t bring myself to put myself in any kind of “diet” mentality.

How did you start running, and how did you stay motivated early on?

The first time I voluntarily ran was junior year of college. At first I was motivated by a roommate who seemed to really enjoy her outdoor jogs. I started verrrry slowly because I always hated running. I think my first run was 10 minutes walking/running on the treadmill. I increased each day until I was doing 3 miles a few times a week and eventually I just keept going further and faster to see what I could do. I never thought of running races, especially half marathons, until I started blogging. I can see I would not have been motivated to do them without the blogging community.

I like running because all you really need are shoes and a sports bra – it’s portable and cheap. It is also something I would like to be able to do years from now, so I think of running now as practice or maintenance for the future. When I am tempted to skip it I remind myself of how hard it will be when I want to start again. That’s what’s keeps me motivated these days!

When did you start yoga? I was just wondering if was something new in your life or if you’ve always done it. Do you know any good DVDs for beginners?

My sister gave me a yoga mat the summer before I went to law school.

“But I don’t do yoga,” I complained.

Yes, I’ve worked on my present opening since then.

She explained that she, a lawyer herself, thought I might need the mat in the coming years. She was right. I do need yoga. I was never an athlete, but I was a dancer. This is the closest I come to that these days. Yoga for me is like ballet for the body and soul. I did a lot of yoga in law school and then when I started working I started running more and yogaing less, but the pendulum is currently swinging back.

I enjoy some yoga sites, but honestly, my recommendation for a beginner is to go to a beginner class. I think it’s important to have a teacher who can explain what to do, demonstrate the postures and correct your alignment. Many studios have deals for first-timers. It’s totally worth checking it out!

I read that you used to only run on a treadmill before you started training for races. Was it hard to transition? Do you have any tips?

Before last April I ran exclusively on a treadmill except for one 5K I ran  a few months earlier. I had an outside running mental block. I have a few tips for transitioning to outside running:

• Plan your route: I don’t have a Garmin, so I use the google pedometer feature.
• Plan to do less: Running outside and on a treadmill are two different beasts with different challenges, however, outside running is harder because you do not have the belt to push you along. At first plan to run less outside than you can on a treadmill.
• Pace yourself: I used to feel like was going really slow when I ran outside, but it turns out that I wasn’t and it just feels different. Without a Garmin I came up with a weird system using my Polar HRM to determine how fast I was running based on how many calories I burn per mile.

What is Mark’s workout schedule?

I don’t have a steady workout schedule. I exercise at the gym when I feel like it, which ends up being about once every three months. I pay for a gym membership, but I certainly don’t get my money’s worth.  I sometimes do push-ups (“press ups” for my friends in Europe) or free weights (dumb bells, 30 lbs.) during breaks in video game playing and video editing. My brain is very active even when my body is not so I feel like I’m constantly burning calories. For instance, I’ve got all these T-shirt ideas.

Although I’ve repeatedly joked about it in the past I really do lead a fairly Intense Lifestyle. This includes constantly working, shadow boxing, staying up incredibly late, sleeping very little, and generally just maintaining a high level of fidget. I go to extremes. When I’m tired I’m dead tired but when I’m awake I’m all engines go. I do sit at the computer a lot but don’t dedicate much time to watching TV.

This all leads to me being about 170 pounds of garlic and olive oil most days, give or take 6 pounds in either direction. At 5′ 9 1/2” I’m comfortable with this, though some days my pants seem tighter than I remember purchasing but I chalk that up to excessive heat during the dry cycle. Either way, I’m from Jerz; the tighter the better. – Mark

What does Mark think about your weight gain and now plan/effort to lose it?  Does he even notice? What’s his take on women’s frequent obsession with weight (not that you are obsessed at all – you have one of the healthiest perspectives i’ve ever seen and it’s one of the reasons I read your blog.  Just looking for a male take on all this stuff…)

If Heather gained weight I didn’t notice and wouldn’t have noticed if it wasn’t for her mentioning it “on blog” or in real life. In fact, I get annoyed when she – when anyone really, talks to me about weight. I prefer the company of people who are comfortable with themselves – people who are accepting of themselves regardless of how many extra pounds they’re carrying around or would like to lose. I know self acceptance is tough for many and I do sympathize with those who are challenged by it everyday (it’s not entirely unfamiliar to me), but there’s so much to experience in life that I’d like to concentrate on getting to… I won’t allow love handles to get in the way.

Of course, I don’t condone obesity (as no healthy minded person should), but I’ve got a good understanding of real life and know that real people are constantly going through changes. It’s impossible for us wet-works to keep up with the fabricated, glossy magazine expectations that airbrush artists have set. They’re not harmless. You can’t read In Touch, US Weekly, People and pretend you’re not affected by it.

Don’t think it’s only women whose minds have been corrupted either. Until about a week ago I thought Arnold still walked around looking cover ready all the time. Turns out not.

You can ask Heather, I’m a physically interested guy; I look at people all the time, sometime to the point of staring. What women think is attractive is not what I think is attractive and I’d wager lots of normal guys agree. – Mark

I mostly do yoga at home because then I can control the length of time. Hour or longer classes are really not appealing to me. Do you think it’s acceptable to leave a class after 40-45 minutes? I don’t want to be rude to the instructor, but I just don’t have the attention span.

One reason I love doing things like a 20 minute Yoga Download is because they are quick! From a safety standpoint, I don’t think there is any problem leaving early, but you are missing some great stretches, back bends, inversions and of course, savasana (“Corpse Pose”).  From a rudeness standpoint, I think it’s okay to leave early before people are in savasana if you are near the back and not disruptive.

That said, I want to say something about why you need to leave early and I hope I don’t seem preachy. You said you, “don’t have the attention span” and I totally get that, but yoga, like many forms of exercise, are just as mental as they are physical. I’ve run many miles telling myself the entire time, “I want to walk.” Hey, maybe your teacher is super boring and you need to find someone better! But if you can stay, maybe you should stay. Yoga means unity of the the mind, body and spirit, so I think it’s really important to stick it out! Then if you don’t like it, you don’t like it – it’s not for everyone. Maybe then you could find shorter classes, different livelier styles, etc.

Lawyer/Change of Careers Questions

I get a ton of emailed questions along the lines of “How did you decide to quit your job,” “Are you happier now,” Were you scared,” Were people supportive,” etc. Here are all my posts where I talk about making the decision to stop being a lawyer and becoming a teacher, how it’s affected me, and all of that stuff.who want to The answers to those types of questions are here.

Blogging Questions

I always wonder how food bloggers (and bloggers in general) decide to start chronicling what they eat, the fitness they do, etc. What motivated you to start documenting and showing your whole lifestyle?  How much of your life do you think you put on this blog and are there times when you really just don’t feel like writing down everything you did that day?

Mark and I started the blog when we decided to do a Meatless Month experiment in August 2008. We don’t really do the monthly challenges anymore. When we started blogging I made the conscious decision not to treat this blog as a food journal. I enjoy reading them, but it’s just not my style. I felt that would be adding pressure to post a certain amount of times per day about certain topics, and I didn’t want to turn something fun into a chore. I do share a lot on the blog (sometimes my mom gets mad that she finds out about my life on the blog) and I love having a format to write and share in this way. That said, there are times when I omit things that are overly personal or not relevant to the purpose of my blog. Not much gets left out though, and often I write about things I would actually not talk about in real life/with people in my life. In that way, the blog is sort of my own personal therapy.

What kind of camera do you use?

I use a Canon Rebel T1i, Canon Power Shot or iPhone.

Why do you make Mark do the blog?

I don’t. If I made Mark do the blog don’t you think he would post more than once or twice a month? He posts when he has something to say about the topics of interest here.

How did you start blogging? When you first started did you tell everyone or was it private?

I am not sure what “How did you start” means, but my partner in crime pretty much handles the technical aspects of the blog. I didn’t keep the blog a secret, but I wasn’t as open about it as I am now. I think it’s understandable to be a little shy about something that is simultaneously public and private, but openness comes with time I think.

Do you think you would write a book about your blog, if asked too?

Of course, but it’s not something I actively pursue or anything and I don’t expect some publisher to just email me and ask me to write a book. If I did write a blog-based book a lot of it would be about my decision to quit my job and start over – how it feels to do something like that and the struggles and benefits that occurred along the way.

Are there any people in your life (friends, family) who don’t like your blog or are weird about you having one? What do you do to deal with that?

No. I think at first my parents thought it was odd, but now they support it and my dad passes out my Hangry Pants business cards at work.

what is one thing you hate about blogging/ the “blogsphere”?

I don’t hate anything about blogging. It’s something you can and should do in a way that suits you!

I wouldn’t say I hate this, but I’m inclined to ignore the “Oh my god it’s the best bar/yogurt/drink ever” reviews. Enthusiasm is nice, but honesty is more important.

what is your favorite thing about having a blog?

My Blogging Top Five

(1) Learning from and being motivated by others who have similar interests (some who are now friends), but varying points of view – recipes, workouts, health, fitness, self-image, etc. I would not have run two half marathons if I didn’t have a blog.

(2) Writing about whatever I want to people who seem to want to listen.

(3) Getting free stuff.

(4) Making Hangry Pants videos.

(5) When people link to Hangry Pants when they say they are hangry – not really necessary because I did not invent the term, but it makes me smile.

I know some people who have blogs consider it a job.  I think of mine as fun. What do you think about yours?

Well, a year ago I would have said it’s just a fun hobby. It still is definitely fun, but I think I take the content and my messages more seriously now. I think it’s important to produce good, well-written and edited work (but there’s no editor here, so mistakes happen), so in that sense it’s like work. I would not do it unless I enjoyed it and unless I was having fun, so in that way, it is a fun hobby.

what is your favorite blog to read.

Well, I read all the same food/health blogs as all of you, so I thought I would share my favorite non-food blog instead. I’ve actually been reading Our Little Apartment for a a few years, but never commented until I had my own blog.

How do you deal with negative comments?

This required a separate post because I think negative, nasty, mean people have problems.

Personal Questions